News that the NHL lockout could soon come to an end spread quickly among die hard fans and Sunday night many gathered at the Village Pub in East Nashville to celebrate the news they'd been waiting to hear for a very long time.

"It's awesome man," Travis Bing said.  "I've been waiting for months now it seems."

Bing is one of the tens of thousands of Preds fans all over the Midstate that at first were on pins and needles waiting for the lockout
to end but had given up hope after a few months.

"I honestly did not think it was going to happen," Bing said.

But Sunday afternoon at the pub on McGavock pike he was celebrating the
highly anticipated news that the lockout could soon be over.

But he said the energy at the bar was nowhere near as intense as it is in the Preds room during an exciting game.

"It's almost like being at the arena," Bing said.  "We're screaming and we're yelling at the TV."

The atmosphere is so great in fact, it doesn't matter where you're from or what colors you wear.

Dennis Pepperack is a Red Wings fan, and said says rivalries are all in good
fun.  Sunday, fans of all teams put aside their differences if only for a moment.

"We're just glad that the NHL is back," Pepperack said.  "Regardless of the team that
you root for, we're all hockey fans and we love the game."

And what's good for the regulars, is great for the owners.

"We are thrilled totally, excited," said Tracy Hamilton, owner.

Hamilton isn't just an entrepreneur, she's also a fan, and said she's glad
her office and her hangout are back in the same place again.


The
hockey crowd is a very passionate crowd," Hamilton said.  "When they find a place that
they like and they go to they really want to gather with other hockey
fans."

The earliest game back for the home team could be January 15th when the Predators are scheduled to take on the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena.Fans React to Lockout Agreement - Eric Alvarez